Welcome to the Literary Festival’s History Day, which takes place in the remarkable surroundings of Waverley Abbey – where the first Cistercian monastery in Britain was built, the ruins of which can still be seen today. Together, four renowned history writers, Louise Morrish, Dr Alison Weir, Dr Nicola Tallis and Damien Lewis, will bring the past to life. Ticket price includes attendance to all three sessions on the day day and includes lunch as well as tea and coffee on arrival.
Louise Morrish writes stories inspired by the lives of women in the past, who achieved extraordinary things, but whom history has forgotten. Her debut novel, Operation Moonlight, won the Penguin Random House First Novel competition and was published in 2022. Louise Morrish’s new novel, Women of War, is inspired by the extraordinary adventures of the Women’s Hospital Corps in World War One.
Dr Alison Weir is the top-selling female historian (and the fifth-bestselling historian overall) in the UK, and has sold over 3 million books worldwide. She has published 21 history books, her most recent being Queens of the Age of Chivalry, the third volume of her England’s Medieval Queens quartet. Alison has also published fifteen historical novels, including the Six Tudor Queens series about the wives of Henry VIII. Alison’s latest novel is The Cardinal, about Thomas Wolsey.
Dr Nicola Tallis is a British historian and researcher. Her debut book, Crown of Blood: The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey, was published to wide praise. She has previously lectured at the University of Winchester and worked with Historic Royal Palaces and the National Trust.
Damien Lewis is one of the most popular WWII historians, selling several million copies of his books in 40 countries. For decades he worked as a war and conflict reporter for the world’s major broadcasters, reporting from across Africa, South America, the Middle and Far East and winning numerous awards. His books include the World War Two classics The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Hunting the Nazi Bomb, SAS Nazi Hunters, SAS Ghost Patrol, SAS Italian Job, SAS Band of Brothers, Many of his books have been made into movies or TV drama series or adapted as plays for the stage.
10am Louise Morrish
12pm Alison Weir and Nicols Tallis
2.30pm Damien Lewis
Tickets which include Lunch, tea and coffee are available here
